2 Corinthians 6:4-10 (ESV)
But as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Explanation:
Whether you are a Christian or not, we can all agree on this one fact: life will bring trials and hardships for each one of us at some point. Sin entered the world many, many years ago through a couple not listening to God’s words in the garden. Since then, sin, satan, and ourselves have made life hard. Some of us have made it harder than it needs to be, and some have hardships because of other people’s mistakes. One thing is true for all of us, though, that God is here with us and in us.
So, you messed up, again. Guess what? God is still with you. Some of you would say, “No, I’m too far gone”, or “I’ve really messed up this time so God will not be with me.” I say you are so very WRONG. God doesn’t like what you are doing or how you are acting, but if you still believe and trust in Him. He is still with you. Hear me, though: you must repent and put your faith in Him. God will use your messes to redeem you. God will take your ashes and turn that into a life changing testimony. Remember God uses the broken to change the world.
Others reading this might feel you are doing good in God’s eyes. You are doing “the disciple’s check list”. Awesome, that’s great. Go you! This is your time to show and share Jesus with the world. I know what some of you are thinking, “But Josh, if we are Christians, shouldn’t we always feel like sharing Jesus with people?” I say, do you always feel like going to work? Do you always feel like buying the groceries? No, we don’t always feel like doing these things. So, right now, press into Jesus. Share Him with everyone. Help those that are low and depressed. Reach out to the lost and the ones that feel hopeless because, as I mentioned earlier, at some point we all will experience hardship.
If you haven’t noticed, I like to be relatable to all of you reading my devotionals. More often than not, I’m the lost soul. More often than not, I’m the one being negative. Often, I give good Christian advice but don’t always use that advice in my own life. Sometimes I show up to church with an awful look on my face, a bad attitude, and feeling sorry for myself. With all this being said, though, I do love me some Jesus. I love our church. I love my soft spoken, God-loving wife, I love my many God-fearing friends. Even after all this stuff I listed, you know what? God still pursues me and loves me, even through all the ups and downs that occur in my life.
Wherever you are, God loves you and He has the best for you. You just have to run to Him with great endurance, trust, love, and often patience. Put God first every morning, and every morning see what He can and will accomplish in your life!
Application:
Get in God’s presence first thing every morning this week.
Be thankful for all the blessings He has given you so far in your life: life, health, house, car, friends, family, church, anything…
Ask then and listen for God to show you how to honor Him better with your life.
Prayer:
God, thank You for today. Thank You for giving us another breath. Thank You for giving us our church. Show me where I need to improve to be the disciple You have called me to be. Show and help me to knock down walls in my life that are hindering me from getting closer to you and other God-loving Christians. Help me to listen to You better and more. In Your name I pray, Amen.